With all the recent excitement over the Presidential Inauguration, I thought it might be refreshing to visit the non-political side of our nation's Capitol. During our airliner's final approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, the rain clouds parted long enough to treat my wife and me to a breathtaking view of the National Mall including the World War II Memorial, Washington Monument, and the United States Capitol.
We stayed in the Foggy Bottom area near George Washington University, Watergate, and the Kennedy Center where we enjoyed a great concert by the Carolina Chocolate Drops. As we were also located near the Metro and Circulator stops, we used public transportation, and were pleasantly surprised by the friendly welcome we received everywhere we went.
Like most places we all visit, one could literally spend months taking in all the sights, so it was a little bit like being the proverbial "kid in a candy shop". During our trip, we managed to visit the Air and Space Museum, National Archives, Sculpture Garden (relaxing place for lunch with good food), New and Old (best view of Pennsylvania Avenue and the US Capitol) Post Offices, The Hirsshorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Arlington Cemetery, Museum of Science and Nature, Botanic Gardens, National Gallery of Art, Library of Congress (voted the best surprise of the trip), National Museum of The American Indian, the Smithsonian Castle, The Spy Museum, most of the National Monuments and Memorials, The C&O Canal with its mule drawn barges, The Torpedo Factory Arts Colony, Gerogetown, Mount Vernon, and Monticello. Whew!
We also had a chance to have dinner with several local friends from Jim's college year in Vienna. Special thanks to Anya for the guided tour of the monuments at night in the rain and her husband Jack for navigating!
We stayed in the Foggy Bottom area near George Washington University, Watergate, and the Kennedy Center where we enjoyed a great concert by the Carolina Chocolate Drops. As we were also located near the Metro and Circulator stops, we used public transportation, and were pleasantly surprised by the friendly welcome we received everywhere we went.
Like most places we all visit, one could literally spend months taking in all the sights, so it was a little bit like being the proverbial "kid in a candy shop". During our trip, we managed to visit the Air and Space Museum, National Archives, Sculpture Garden (relaxing place for lunch with good food), New and Old (best view of Pennsylvania Avenue and the US Capitol) Post Offices, The Hirsshorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Arlington Cemetery, Museum of Science and Nature, Botanic Gardens, National Gallery of Art, Library of Congress (voted the best surprise of the trip), National Museum of The American Indian, the Smithsonian Castle, The Spy Museum, most of the National Monuments and Memorials, The C&O Canal with its mule drawn barges, The Torpedo Factory Arts Colony, Gerogetown, Mount Vernon, and Monticello. Whew!
We also had a chance to have dinner with several local friends from Jim's college year in Vienna. Special thanks to Anya for the guided tour of the monuments at night in the rain and her husband Jack for navigating!
